Neil H. Baum, MD, presented “Finding a New Perspective with Locum Tenens” for the Grand Rounds in Urology audience in January 2021.
How to cite: Baum, Neil H. “Finding a New Perspective with Locum Tenens” January 2021. Accessed Aug 2024. https://grandroundsinurology.com/finding-a-new-perspective-with-locum-tenens/
Summary:
In this eight-minute commentary, Grand Rounds in Urology Contributing Editor Neil H. Baum, MD, Professor of Urology at Tulane Medical School, presents the benefits of locum tenens, a contractual arrangement in which a physician works temporarily in another practice. These work assignments vary in duration and serve several purposes, including to fill vacancies in communities without urologists or to offer a break for a full-time urologist and/or those working in rural communities, who are often on-call 24/7. For doctors, locum tenens can decrease stress and lower the risk of burnout, as well as allowing them to gain experience by working with a new patient population in a different hospital or clinical setting. Semi-retiring urologists may use locum tenens as they transition, and newly-minted practitioners may use such assignments to determine the best practice fit for a permanent position. Dr. Baum touts the financial benefits: such as paid living expenses and travel costs, and possible stipends while on assignment. Additional perks include focusing on clinical work sans office politics, business responsibilities, or paperwork. He concludes with a review of the contract details, drawing attention to key areas such as compensation and malpractice coverage, as well as exclusions like health insurance and retirement.
For more commentary from Dr. Baum, visit his Improving Your Urology Practice page.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neil H. Baum, MD, is a Clinical Professor of Urology at Tulane Medical School in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is also a retired urologic surgeon. Additionally, Dr. Baum serves as the Medical Advisor to Vanguard Communications Group. Dr. Baum is the author of Marketing Your Clinical Practice - Ethically, Effectively, and Economically, which is in its 4th edition, has sold over 175,000 copies, and has been translated into Spanish. He also wrote The Complete Business Guide to a Successful Medical Practice, which was published in 2015. Dr. Baum was the columnist for American Medical News for more than 25 years. Dr. Baum also wrote the popular column, “The Bottom Line,” for Urology Times for more than 20 years. He is a requested speaker each year to the Practice Management Seminar for the American Urological Association (AUA), where he discusses techniques for making urology practices more efficient and more productive. He has written more than 9 books on practice management and over 250 peer-reviewed articles on various urologic topics. Dr. Baum is also the medical advisor to Vanguard Communications Group.
